U.S. Job Openings Hit Record in December Amid Tight Labor Market

U.S. job openings rebounded, reaching a record in December as the rate of those leaving jobs held steady, underscoring robust demand for workers.

The number of positions waiting to be filled rose by 169,000 to 7.34 million, from an upwardly revised 7.17 million in the prior month, according to the Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, released Tuesday. The quits rate remained at 2.3 percent, indicating confidence that job prospects remain strong.